The historical significance of exploration geophysics

Explaining the historical significance of exploration geophysics to a layperson is not an easy task. Although daunting, I have enthusiastically undertaken an effort in conjunction with the Historical Preservation Committee of the Society of Exploration Geophysicists to explain to non-experts that exploration geophysics is a practice that has a long history marked by innovation and invention. Geophysicists have discovered oil throughout the world. Modern-day consumers often take for granted the history of exploration and innovation that made possible the discovery of resources that support their standard of living. Our goal is to create a museum exhibit that explains the role of technological innovation throughout the twentieth century and the historical context that explains geophysics in its modern form. The project will consist of a concerted effort to gather historic photos, conduct oral histories, research historic documents, and consult seminal articles in The Leading Edge and Geophysics. We are not just gathering facts, however, but offering an interpretation of technological innovation that explains oil exploration as a practice that unfolded over time through the efforts of many people and that has undergone dramatic transformations.